One of the oldest family businesses in Germany – the Olsberg company in Olsberg, Sauerland, can look back on an impressive 529 years of tradition. The company moves with the times and adapts to customer requirements: It has long concentrated its production on the three pillars of casting technology, heating technology and sheet metal technology.

The Sheet Metal Technology business unit of Olsberg GmbH offers services related to the processing of steel, stainless steel, aluminum and copper into components, assemblies and complete devices. Large, fully automated Trumpf machines punch, nibble and edge the workpieces in the ultra-modern production facility. Around 20 people work in this hall, which is also acoustically dominated by the machines. If only one machine is in use, the noise level is already high; if all five machines are in use, it is significantly higher.

The ideal: noise protection with direct hall access

To protect the employee who sets up and maintains the tools, a Plexiglas partition was initially erected. This did nothing to reduce the noise. In addition, for logistical reasons, the employee’s location was to be moved even closer to the noisy machines.

The customer wanted a significant noise reduction and contacted his dealer Lagertechnik Becker GmbH, based in Krefeld. The aim was to reduce the noise level by 10 to 15 dbA in a solution with a view of the machines. The employees must be able to communicate regularly with production planning and make phone calls, maintain and repair tools and carry out various adjustments. A door was not desired; quick and open access to the hall was more important.

The planning process: from measurement and visualization to implementation

OTTOKIND received the request via the retailer. The planning process with the field service began with several inspections, during which the situation on site was analyzed and the output level measured. An enclosure for the workplace quickly emerged: a U-shaped enclosure with a sail or an attached roof. OTTOKIND’s field service accompanied the customer all the way to the final solution. The customer received visualizations of the different variants, which were then discussed and adapted.

The solution for the sheet metal technology hall at Olsberg: a fixed cabin with four walls, an attached roof, a door opening and three windows with a view into the hall. The cabin is located on a fixed, on-site wall, which was also clad with an acoustic wall. A particularly practical feature of the OTTOKIND system is that simple adaptations such as recesses for washbasins are easy to implement.

Sheet metal processing is the core business of this customer – so the Olsberg team assembled the cabin themselves. OTTOKIND provided support and guidance as well as two employees from its technology and development department. A collaboration that worked perfectly.

The result: impressively quiet and visually appealing

Since moving into the new room, employees have been working in a much quieter environment. The desired 10 to 15 dbA reduction has been achieved – employees can now work in a much more relaxed environment without being exposed to noise when making phone calls or discussing technical matters. Hearing protection is no longer necessary in the booth. It has become so quiet that quiet music from the radio can be heard.

But OTTOKIND received praise for more than just the impressive acoustic result: the customer also liked the quality of the sheet metal used and the appearance of the cabin. Another positive aspect is the modular design, which makes it easy to expand or convert the cabin at a later date.